News in brief

12:01AM BST 23 May 2003

'Turn around' school faces axe

The failing school which recruited a top independent head teacher to turn it around is being earmarked for closure.

Jill Clough, 57, the head of Wimbledon High, the £7,000-a-year day school for girls in south-west London, took on the East Brighton College "sink" school two years ago. But she took early retirement through ill health in March this year and now Brighton and Hove council is consulting with parents on the school's future.

The decision to include closure in the options is further proof of the failure of the Government's Fresh Start scheme to turn schools around.

Car attack

Stewart Meldrum, 27, who was fined for denting a Muslim motorist's car at London's Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday, was convicted of causing damage to property, as reported in The Telegraph yesterday. He was not, as also stated in the agency report, convicted of religiously aggravated damage.

Stressed tax officers walk out

Hundreds of Inland Revenue staff walked out of their offices yesterday in protest at stressful working conditions caused by the introduction of the new tax credit scheme.

Workers at offices in Scotland, Sunderland and Manchester left their desks for 15 minutes, complaining about their management's handling of the scheme. The Public and Commercial Services Union said its members had borne the brunt of customer frustrations over problems with its implementation.

Car tax dodgers to get fines through the post

Motorists are to be hit with automatic £80 fines under a new crackdown on car tax dodgers, it was announced yesterday.

They will get two weeks to renew their tax discs after they expire - otherwise the fine will be posted to them. Persistent non-payers will be prosecuted and fined a minimum of £1,000 under the plans set out by David Jamieson, the Transport Minister. The fines, which come into force in January, will be issued on the basis of computerised tax records. There will be no need for police or cameras to spot unlicensed vehicles.

There are estimated to be about one million unlicensed vehicles on the road. The Government says these are frequently abandoned, are involved in criminal activity and often uninsured.

Serb remanded over jewel raid

A man was remanded in custody by magistrates yesterday in connection with a £6 million jewellery raid.

Nebojsa Denic, 33, a Serbian, was charged with robbery and possession of a firearm at Graff's in London's New Bond Street. The case was adjourned to the Old Bailey on May 29.

Last course for Savoy's chef

The Savoy has begun a search for a new maitre chef after the man responsible for the London hotel's menus for more than 20 years announced he was leaving.

Anton Edelmann, 50, who revolutionised Savoy cuisine with a style of cooking he describes as "modern French with a generous sprinkling of English", is joining the Sodexho catering firm on what he described as a "very lucrative" salary.

As head chef, Edelmann, from Germany, has served Diana, Princess of Wales, Hugh Grant, Ewan McGregor, Bob Geldof and Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench.

Second accolade for Coldplay

Coldplay cashed in on their double success at the Brits earlier this year by being named songwriters of the year for their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, at the Ivor Novello awards, the annual celebration of songwriting, yesterday.

David Gray's The Other Side beat Oasis's Crying Your Heart Out for best song of the year. Best contemporary song was The Street's Weak Become Heroes. In a message, Coldplay singer Chris Martin said: "We're not sure we deserve this - but we'll trust your opinions."